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As Long As We Both Shall Love. . .

Overheard while shopping for groceries just before the last snowstorm. While shoppers rush through aisles pushing carts filled with staple items as if “the storm-Polar Vortex- of the year is coming, actually no more than a dusting of two inches in New York, I ambled along listening. That’s my job as a writer taking in the sounds, action, and often parts of conversation. Two young women were in a highly animated conversation, arms flailing, giggling, hair tossing. Lingering nearby the Mac and Cheese section, I overheard fragments of what seemed like wedding vows for one of the girls soon to married. When the snow ended and birds chirped once again. April, maybe.

“And we decided instead of the old fashioned vow, “as long as we both shall live,” we’ll say “as long as we both shall love.” She flipped long blond hair back and waited for her friend’s reaction.

Personally I wanted to smack her silly butt and say wake up. marry the one you love and make it work. Love is forever. Instead I threw a few more little cartons of goodies for my grandest and waited for the girlfriend’s reply.

Tears ran down her friend’s face. Not from joy. What she said spoke of wisdom. “It doesn’t sound as if you and Jimmy really care for each other. If you did, the true vows would fit and you’d be happy with them.” She hugged her friend. “I’ve got to finish shopping before the kids come home and Bud loves a good pot roast. Think about what marriage means. It’s a lifetime commitment.”

I moved on past the blond who stood staring after her friend, a puzzled look on her pretty face.

My first love died suddenly after thirty seven years of a solid marriage and five years of being best friends. I never dreamed I’d meet another man but here we are happy together, “as long as we both shall live.” Twenty good years together.

I’m an author as many of you know, writing books about women who survive and thrive to move on and build a new life.

To Be Continued by Charmaine Gordon

Elizabeth Malone wakes up the morning after an amazing night of passion with her husband of forty years to find a note: “Dear Lizzie, it’s not you, it’s me.”

Abandoned by her husband, disappointed in daughter Susie’s casual attitude – ‘Dad’s having a mid-life crisis’, Beth decides to re-establish herself as the winner she once was.

When Frank Malone returns, he’s in for a big surprise!

Rising from the ashes of a burned-out marriage, Elizabeth feels like forty years of her life went up in smoke. Her successful husband, Dr. Frank Malone sneaked away in the night leaving only a note.

With a daughter that “pooh-poohs” the whole thing as just a temporary mid-life crisis and “friends” that avoid her, Elizabeth must rely on herself. Even her longtime lawyer turns out to be a stinker.

The Elizabeth that once was, before subverting her aspirations and becoming Dr. Frank Malone’s wife and Susie’s mother, begins to find herself—and what a self it is. The emotional journey she makes magnifies that life is to be continued, even if old dreams and an old marriage die.

Everyone should be fortunate enough to have a new friend like Lisa, a pool man like Maverick (WOW), a new lawyer like Elise Bergen, and a Sister Mary Margaret type to help rekindle the fire to be a “winner” after feeling like a total “loser”. Besides these supportive new people in her life, Elizabeth’s life is influenced by a tempting but troubled psychiatrist that wrote a book entitled “Get A Grip”, a remarkable son-in-law, and some super guests at “The Night for Possibilities” not the least of which is Sam Taylor.

Charmaine Gordon brings the characters to life with humor, decisive action, shared tears and stories. In To Be Continued Ms. Gordon takes the reader from a situation of despair to one of joy and love with lots of living done with mature and some not-so-mature exuberance.

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4 thoughts on “As Long As We Both Shall Love. . .”

It’s great that the girl’s friend smacked some sense into her. That girl getting married sounds like she’s purchasing a pair of shoes. She’ll use them as long as they look good, and then out they go. Marriage is meant to last and the commitment should never be taken lightly. I hope her friend gave her something to think about.

I have a sweat shirt with the saying “Watch out what you say, you might end up in my next book.”
So true and Elizabeth remember, I’m a listener and a watcher. Thanks for stopping by. I so enjoy your Lady Smut blogs.

As your friend Elizabeth already indicated, it does sound as if the bride-to-be was only thinking of marriage as a convenience. One should never look at love ending, it’s permanent (or should be) even after the physical being is gone; however when there is room enough in the heart and one is lucky enough, there is the wonderful chance of loving and being loved again. There are the few occasions when love “changes” because the people do and it may be time to move on, but it should never be a given, the two involved must try everything they can to make it work first.
Your life and your books are wonderful examples of how much the heart is capable of. Thank you for showing us a world where love is indeed the ultimate high.